Wilbert to start FAU's Sun Belt conference opener

The senior was 10-for-13 in the second half in FAU's 7-3 win against Wagner

September 3, 2012|By Dieter Kurtebach, Sun Sentinel

BOCA RATON —

There's a new starting quarterback at FAU, but fans should already be familiar with him.

Graham Wilbert, whose stellar second-half performance against Wagner on Friday helped the Owls avoid being massively upset in their season opener, won't have to wait until after halftime to play in FAU's conference opening game at Middle Tennessee State this Saturday.

Pelini named Wilbert the starter, though for many going back to the 2011 starter might have been a foregone conclusion. Stephen Curtis earned the start in FAU's season opener Friday, but only completed four of 10 passes for 37 yards, putting his team into their home locker room down 3-0 at halftime to a mid-level FCS team.

Wilbert came in and completed all but three of his passes, tossing the game's only touchdown in the process of a 7-3 win.

"Graham did a tremendous job," Pelini said on the Sun Belt coaches conference call Monday morning. "When we decided to go with Stephen [Curtis] we did it based on what our strengths were and what are philosophies were: we're going to have to run the ball... We felt Stephen, being a little bit better runner, would fit better with that philosophy."

"[Wilbert] made a lot of correct reads, and had a really good second half," Pelini continued. "He really led us to the victory."

Wilbert and Curtis, a sophomore, battled for the starting quarterback spot in preseason camp, splitting snaps until two days before the Wagner game, when Curtis was named the starter. Pelini said he still had Wilbert prepare to play, as Curtis' lack of experience gave him pause.

"If you look over the course of training camp, it was a very hard-fought contest," Pelini said. "Some of [this week's decision] will depend on how they perform in practice this week. I think Graham earned the spot and earned the not with his performance Friday."

During the second quarter Friday, fans at FAU Stadium starting chanting "M-G-Three" in reference to transfer quarterback Melvin German. Those calls will go unanswered for the remainder of the season, as the final day to register for new classes at FAU was Friday. German, whose eligibility was hung up as he looked to join a major at FAU, would have had to change his class schedule as part of the process to rectify his academic situation.